Alanna FanFic

Expectations...

The youngest child of Alanna of Trebond pushed her way through the crowded Corus marketplace. The midsummer sun shone brutally down upon the busy marketgoers. Francis sighed and rolled her eyes. She had places to be.
Progress was being made everywhere. She could see it throughout the market place. Sales were being finalized, purchases paid for. People were going home satisfied. She could tell people were pleased by the looks on their faces. Of course they were, but chances are, they didn't have to deal with expectations.
Francis had learned to read expressions from the time she was quite young. Despite her loving parents, She always felt isolated from the rest of her family. They loved her, but there was something missing from their relationship. A closeness, a bond. A bond only the Gift could bring.
It wasn't unheard of for a Giftless child to be born from Gifted parents, but Francis's four siblings all possessed the Gift. By the time she was born everyone had taken for granted that the baby was to be gifted. When she showed no signs of the Gift, her parents were suprised, but they raised her like her siblings. The outside world however, created a stir. How could any child of the Great Gifted Alanna of Trebond be unGifted?
Then there were the expectations. How could anything less be expected from a child of Alanna of Trebond, Olau, Pirate's Swoop, and King's champion? It was impossible to fade in the background in that family, no matter what anyone said.
~~Em~~

She hurried through the crowds of people that wandered idly past shops that lined the dirt road. "Summer really is fading now. I should at least be able to walk through the streets. I mean, if it was high summer now,all these travelers would be safely under the shade of the Inn's trees. But instead they are meandering around out here," Francis thought irritably to herself. She glanced momentarily up at the sun, "Just wonderful. Mother's going to kill me when I get home. That is if she actually is home."
Lately Frances had started to despise the fact that her mother, "The Lioness", "The King's Champion", "The Goddess Blessed Alanna of Trebond and Olau", was never around. King Jonathan always needed her help, or she had to lead the Riders while Queen Thayet was away. But Francis knew her parents' response to this matter by heart, since she seemed to loose her temper so much. "Your ma has things she needs to handle. She made a commitment to the King when she got her shield, and she needs to respect that. I know you'll understand that someday. What happened to the commitment to her family, may I ask? Oh, it's useless." Pushing through a thick crowd of foreigners, she arrived before a scribe's shop. Quickly taking in a last breath of fresh air, she opened the door and walked in.
"Hello, Francis. I didn't expect you at this hour. Shouldn't you be in classes? Young people are suppose to get an education, so they can may good choices. You wouldn't by chance be skipping classes once again? With the weather so lovely and the inside of buildings so hot, I can just imagine children, especially you, running off into the wilderness to find an adventure. You're not making a quick stop before you're off to find an adventure, like your dear ma are you? 'Cause if you are, I'm afraid the time of adventure's is after you've learned your studies. Now Francis, hurry along back to your house and study your lessons. A mind that enjoys reading so much, should be one that enjoys knowledge. It is the responsibility of the people of this city to watch over and guide our young, so they may lead a life of prosper and one that pleases the gods. Now go." William now stared at her over the rims of his spectacles, leaving his scrolls scattered over the table. He was a short man, stockily built and his face was one of kindness and of hard years.
"Sir, since the tutor is sick today, we have the day off from our studies. I came to pick up my mother's papers that were sent to you. The ones that had all the foreign writing on them; the ones you were suppose to translate," mumbled Frances.
Ahh, those papers, I remember them now. Yes, I did them a while ago.
"I put them back on my table, so they are here somewhere. Let me just look."
Slowly he rummaged through the stacks of papers. As he pushed through one stack, he accidentally knocked off two others from the table. Quickly Francis knelt down to pick up the papers, and noticed one with the words "taken-over", "drugged" and "university". She read the attached translation, too curious not to. Awe-struck, Francis sat staring at the letter. "They havetaken over the Tortallan University. Uh-oh. The mages have been magically confined in the University. Whoever's done this must have a lot of mages working for them. Now we're in for it."
"What did you say, dear? I know I put it somewhere."
"Umm, nothing. I've gotta go. I'll send Da sometime this week, I forgot I had to do something else. Don't worry, you'll find it." She slipped the note in her vest pocket and heaved the pile of papers onto his table.
"Good-bye."
Tearing out of the shop she ran down the road, searching the note again for any more clues to the writer. Suddenly she walked right into somebody,looking up from the letter, she met face to face with Prince Adric.
"Francis, what's your hurry? Now what have you gotten yourself into?" His wry smile spread across his face and his blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. She shoved the note under his nose. "This. I'm afraid we have some trouble on our hands."
~~Maddy~~

"What are you going to do?" Adric asked her, "are you just going to go and tell your mother or father and let them handle it? Francis and Adric were sitting in one of the Lesser Libraries at the palace. Francis was bent over the piece of paper, still searching it for more clues. Deep in thought, she impatiently fiddled with the small stone around her neck that her father had given her on her sixteenth birthday last fall..
"What?" She said, pushing a loose lock of her auburn hair behind her ear, and looking up at Adric. "I said, What are you going to do about it?"
"How should I know?" she muttered, irritated.
What, you don't know everything?" he said, Francis knew he was teasing, although his face remained somewhat solemn. She wondered how he did it, Francis was known for being unable to control her emotions. If she hadn't known Adric since before she could remember. And they both were about how he would be knighted soon. She had wanted to be a knight, but she knew she had a lot to live up to as a warrior, seeing as that her mother is one of the best known warriors alive. So much time had passed since she had decided not to be a knight. Francis could not believe that they were all grown up now. "Hello? Francis? Are you still there?" he said, knocking gently at her head Francis dragged herself away from her thoughts.
"Yes, I'm here, and no, I don't know everything!" she sniffed "Come on, Adric, this is serious!" She complained.
"Alright, alright. I wonder where this note came from, and why does William have it in the first place." He paused, thinking for as moment. "Why hasn't he told anyone yet, or does he not know about it at all." A slight frown crossed his face; he looked genuinely confused.
Francis wondered the same thing. "I really don't know." She handed him the paper, "Here see if you can find anything." As he took the paper, she noticed something flicker.
"Hey, wait a second, look! " She held the paper close to the candle on the table. Over the light, a large symbol appeared, but when they removed it from the light, it was gone.
"That looks like a symbol I saw on the trunk of one of those visiting sorcerers who arrived yesterday." Francis said, as she walked across the library to a shelf of books. She lifted one off the shelf, and walked back toward the sofa. Her eyes sparkled in excitement; this was a challenge.
I don't know, Francis, maybe you should tell somebody about this, this is going to be hard to solve, not to mention the tiniest bit dangerous, "
"What's wrong your highness, are you scared?" She mocked, sitting down on the sofa with the book, " Poor little prince Addie,"
"Don't call me that!"
"What ever you say Addie," replied Francis, smiling with satisfaction.
Adric sighed, Francis was always teasing him with his childhood nickname, and his status as prince. She knew he hated being a prince just as much as he did.
Slowly a wicked grin spread across his face. Then, he suddenly hurled one of the sofa cushions in Francis' direction before bracing himself for her return blow.
abedin@primanet.com

Feathers flew around the room as they played like children. They played until the room was covered in feathers like a light coat of dust. They were still playing as someone knocked on the door. They took no notice though and continued their play. It was good to finaly have a break from reality. Even though it didn't last long.
The pounding on the door got louder and still they didn't hear. They did stop though when the door was busted open by the king. the servant that had been knocking was standing silently to the side and the king stared at his son and Francis with disdain clear across his face.
"What do you think you are doing? I'm trying to work with the Dominion Jewel, and I'm interrupted by pounding on the door, the least you can do is answer it!" he stormed out of the room and back to his work. The servant cleared his throat, "Sir Alanna wishes to see you madam." and the servant walked away.
The two in the room extanged guilty glances and Francis hurried out of the room. Adric not in the mood to clean up looked up a spell in a book and set to work, a small whirlwind was soon picking up and carrying all the feathers from the room and dumping them in a waist basket. Francis hurried to her mothers rooms at the palace. She always used the same ones, so everyone knew how to find her. She received a scolding for several thing she hadn't done and Francis reported all to her mother that she had been ordered to find out. she left after that and went down to the stables. she mounted her horse thanked Stephan, and rode to the city. she went out the back way so no one would miss her.
She arrived at the merchant's booth's at the exact time she had hoped she would. she loved to spend her time there all the wonderful things and different people. she had sat down to eat her ice when a young man of about eighteen of nineteen came up to her and stood in front of her blocking her view so she had no other choice but to look at him.
He was about three years older then herself she guessed, when she saw him. and when she looked at him he almost took her breath away. she was slightly flushed which irritated her to say the least. "seen you around a lot." he said taking a seat next to her. from where she sat she had a perfect view of everything he wore, and it wasn't until she saw the ring on his finger that she realized who he was. "yes I come here often." she answered giving him the secret sign known among thieves, that her father had taught her. he was so surprised that he dropped the purse he had been trying to take from her. she scooped it up with as much elegance and grace as she could muster. Try as hard as she could not to laugh.
The expression on his face made her want to laugh even more. thankfully all she did was crack a smile. his face bore the expression of horrified realzation and embarrassment. He groaned then said. "I supped that wasn't the most graceful thing the king of thieves could do." he said.
Her shock that the young man held the place her father once had lasted only a few seconds. "you're the king of thieves?" she asked. then she thought about it. he certainty was charming enough. "yes," a look of confusion crossed his face, and Francis realized her blunder. If she knew the sign of thieves she should have known who the king was. Trouble, then was her first though, the second one was to run which she did quickly enough.
She ran a good twenty minutes until she came to the place where they sold wine, ale and woman. It was the king of thieves own lair and she had a feeling that would be the last place he would look for her, she could have taken her horse back to the palace but her horse had been even further away then the ale house had.
Francis went through the back, one of the many entrances, and stepped into the kitchen where her father's old friend worked. she snuck a bite to eat and saw the young king of thieves enter on the other side of the room. she realized he couldn't see her and darted quickly out to the main room she darted quickly and turned only once to see if the king of thieves was behind her. later she wished she had never turned around, if she hadn't she would have been able to watch where she was going. and she never would have run straight into her father.
"Father!" she gasped in surprise.
~Alla Heart~

George glared at Francis.
"What do ya think you're doin' here?" he asked angrily, taking hold of Francis' shoulders and leading her out of the inn.
"I...I was running from someone," she mumbled, ashamed. She hated how the tone of Da's voice could do that to her.
"To the Dancing Dove? Come on, Francis. Ya can do better than that." His eyes bored into her. "Well...I was...looking for you!" she blurted out. "What were you doing there?"
His eyes narrowed. "It's none of your business," he said.
"Now, get back to the castle!"
Francis scuffed her way through the dirt back to her horse. Locating him, she mounted and rode back to the castle. In the stables, she dropped him off with Stefan and went inside. She turned down the corridor and was grabbed from behind.
Thinking it was Adric, she started to turn and yell at him.
"Ad--" she stopped short. There before her stood the King of Thieves. He cornered her against the cold stone wall.
"How do you know the Sign of Thieves, and how did you find the Dancing Dove?" he growled at her, blocking her attempts to escape his grasp.
"You have no right to be asking me questions!" Francis exclaimed, her temper rising. "You're the one trespassing on my property!
"Your property?" he asked, cooling down. "Are you the princess?
"Gods, no!" she said. "I have enough trouble being the daughter of the Lioness!" Then she realized what she had said, and prepared herself for combat. Her ma wasn't popular with the rogues.
The man smiled and prepared to leave.
"In that case, I'll be leaving you alone. The offspring of George deserve some respect. But, if you be needing me, just ask. The name's Keane."
"Okay, thank you." Francis smiled, and blinked. Something was in her eye. When she got it out, she looked around and gasped. Keane was gone.
~Fallon Elise~

The next morning.... The name had been twirling it self around and around in her head, where had she heard it before? or maybe she had read it. She just couldn't be quite sure. She turned and went back to changing diapers. So much for the graceful punishment she had been hoping for. Instead here she was helping the realms oldest woman, Maude, and the realms most quietest servants, change the most newest diapers on the most messy and smelly baby's. And hour later she walked from the nursery. and she was staring down the hall at Adric when it hit her, Keane, that was the name that after hours of work on the scroll from, that she had decoded he couldn't be a spy could he? the very notion was preposterous. Still it could be true.
She raced off down the hall memories of the stinky diapers left behind as she headed to William's, perhaps he would have more news. Though Tortall hadn't been to war in years it looked as though, from the reports, that that just might be what was about to happen. If William could tell her his source, though she knew it would take a lot of nagging, or trickery, maybe just maybe she could find out which of the surrounding country's they were having trouble with. She shot off down a back hall and made her way quickly to the stables she saddled her horse on her own and set off to the city. She was a William's in a half hour, and though she had made quick time she had had the feeling she was being followed. Francis walked quietly into the front shop after shoving through the crowds of people that ladled the roads. She entered the room and called out to William he wasn't in the front room and he wasn't answering her call. Worried that something might have happened she crept through a door at the back of the shop and through a door leading to another door that led to a back room she had learned about years before. Afraid that her friend might be hurt she went slowly.
Francis thought she heard the door of the front room open and close but decided it was her imagination. She peeked through the door leading to the secret room. there was no one there. Yet she had an odd sense that she wasn't alone. She turned to leave and bumped in to the muscular chest of Keane he caught her before they were both knock to the ground.
"Well what a surprise, bumping into you again." he said and held her a little more loosely, but still not releasing her. Francis felt an odd feeling form in the pit of her stomach, but it wasn't an bad feeling. And at that moment their faces were so close she could feel his breath of her face they leaned forward, and for a brief moment Francis thought of how preposterous this was she had only met him the day before, yet...
Their lip were just a breath away, and as their lips were about to met, Adric stepped into the room, Keane and a blushing Francis parted. Francis slipping into the court rules which she knew so well curtseyed, lowering her head so that neither of the young men would see her face. "Francis, what are you doing here? you know that you've been confined to the palace as punishment. And who is your friend?" Adric demanded completely unaware as to what had almost taken place before he entered the room.
Keane imitating Francis bowed at the waist, and sensing her discomfort at having him so close stepped forward to the prince. "Just a friend."
he answered the prince and before either could say another word He was out the door moving as swiftly as a cat.
Feeling that he had missed something Adric demanded yet again to be answered when he said, "did I miss something?" Thinking he was being pert Francis glared at him, her plans to find who the other country was forgotten along with the diapers. "no you didn't miss a thing. and you had better not tell anyone I left the palace, as far as you and I know I was there all day."
Adric held up his hands, "Hey no problem, Gods know you've covered for me more then enough." then he added, "So who's the friend?"
"No one you know." she answered.
"Well Francis, I do believe I know that, other wise I wouldn't have bothered to ask." The lie was out before she could stop it. "He's one of the merchants sons, their to be staying for a while and I met him in the city yesterday."
"Is he why you've gotten in trouble?" Adric asked.
"Partly," Francis admitted, "but I suppose it was mostly my own fault."
"Come on we had better be going." Adric said and pulled her along knowing they would both be in trouble if they weren't back at the palace, and soon."
~B. Ig. Heart~

She wondered a lot about whether or not she should pursue a friendship with The Rogue. First of all he was a bit to bold for her liking, trying to kiss her upon their second meeting, and second, his name was on the scroll, he could be a very dangerous person to deal with. She was up to that challenge however, if he was a spy, her becoming his "friend" would help her discover if this was true. He did not seem like a treacherous person, but a nice one. Her punishment lasted for about 3 weeks, and then Francis was free to go to the city.
"I'm going to the city to celebrate my freedom" She told Adric the afternoon after her punishment was over. "D'you wanna come?"
"No thanks, Francis, I'm not in the mood." He said, with no particular expression. The truth was lately he hadn't been in the mood at all. His Ordeal was coming up in a few days, and he was quite nervous. "Suit yourself," She shrugged, leaving.
The first thing Francis wanted to do is go to William's and see if she could find more information. His shop was empty, so she decided that she would go out and have some fun. Deciding quickly, she went straight to the Dancing Dove, although she knew perfectly well there was a good chance of meeting Keane. She walked boldly in, taking a stool, and ordered a cup of ale. She wanted to try it, because like many other things, she hadn't before.
"'aven't seen you 'round 'ere," the man next to her said. "That's right" She replyed trying to avoid too much dialog with this man. The ale tickled her throat, but she goy used to it. "When'd you come in?" he asked her.
"a few days ago," She said, not really paying attention to what she was saying.
"Oh," he said quietly as she took the last sip of ale in her cup, and set it down on the counter.
"Can I buy yu another?" He asked her. Frances knew she should leave, but against her better judgement, she accepted the offer. Soon the man left, and she talked with yet another man, and then another. All this time she was sipping some type of drink, and soon she was drunk. Just then, Keane walked in, and saw her first thing. He excused himself from his company, and walked over to her. "Hello Frances," he said casually. Frances turned around, facing him "Well," she hiccuped "hello, Keane"
Then she giggled stupidly.
"Your drunk?" He questioned, with amusement and disbelief "You better get home,I'll walk you as far as I can."
"Nonsense, I want to stay a little longer" She stammered, "No, your going home right now," he said firmly. "Lets go" She followed him stumbling a little, When they were outside the palace, he had to leave her.
"I can't come in, Frances, go straight to your room, got that? iTs late, not many people will be up,"
"Sure," and she left. Keane didn't like leaving her like that, but he had no choice.
Walking up the corridor to her rooms, She heard footsteps behind her, "Frances?" It was Adric.
"Hello Adric, Why are you still up?" She said, her speech somewhat slurred. She continued not waiting for an answer. "I had a lot of fun, you should have come," She hicupped "Oh, excuse me," She giggled again.
"Oh no, Frances, you aren't drunk, you foolish girl,"
She frowned "I don't feel so good," She muttered, and then she threw up, all over Adric.
~Isabelle

After Adric helped Francis back to her room(and cleaned off his shirt) he slipped silently into the corridor. What had gotten into her lately? First, that accidental meeting in the corridor with that strange guy, and then tonight, when she returned to the palace obviously drunk.
He sighed as he tiptoed slowly past his parents’ room. There really was no use. They would know he was up.
He turned the doorknob to his quarters and entered the room. He had a lot of thinking to do. He understood that Francis was under a lot of pressure, coming from that family, who wouldn’t be? He had enough trouble living up to his own family’s expectations. She was worried about many things. Adric regretted not being around as much anymore. He wasn’t available to talk with Francis. He partly blamed himself. But something else was bothering her.
They had known each other all their lives. They could tell each other everything. When Adric became a page, they still saw each other frequently. Only recently had they begun to drift apart.
But going out and getting drunk? He thought the girl had some sense. He decided he was going to talk to her, to find out what was on her mind. Maybe it wasn’t too late, maybe he could talk to her before she did something to her herself or others.
His Ordeal was approaching. He needed to talk her before then. The Ordeal changed people’s minds. The Ordeal changed people’s lives. If something were to happen to him—no, he mustn’t think about that.
His thoughts turned to other things, but his mind never quieted. He got no sleep that night, and struggled through his few duties.
~Emily~